Determination

You can go a bit ambiguous and even out of the material world. For example, you can say that your long term career aspirations are to create a path that other people in the profession and line of work may follow. You may even speak about what are your career ambitions, like obtaining the highest post in a company in a while, etc.

It's hard to know exactly what someone's goals actually tell the interviewer. Goals are always changing. Most employers ask in order to see if you are going to commit to the company and judge whether or not you have ambition.

Employers always want to hire people who take a serious thought on their career growth and professional development as it would benefit them as well - People with clear vision are most likely to become the company's talents or the next leaders.

Short term career objectives are quite simple, like getting a higher post in a few years or months, or learning a new skill so that you can become more productive for the company or even earning a certain amount per month by a particular time. These are the answers that you can provide when you are asked what your short term career aspirations are. In some cases, you can also speak about any dream company that you would like to work with as your short term career aspirations.

I see myself developing my skills through your training and development programs. I hope the company policies support internal training and reimbursement of work related courses offered by university extensions etc.

When you are asked about what are your long term career goals, consider it as a chance to speak about how you are stable in your professional and personal life, and how you would like to grow with the company that you are working for.

Therefore, you should preset clear purpose, determination and commitment to own career goals by demonstrating how you plan ahead.

Short-term goals are your existing current goals, usually in the time frame of six months to one year.

Long-term goals usually refer to looking ahead 5 years from now. A similar question that is asked during interviews is: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

You want to hear that the applicant has taken on extra work to help the company, to help the team’s performance, and/or to help meet an objective set for his/her department.

Even if you are tempted so say so, but it is best not to blurt out, "I do not plan that far along, my goals are short-term only" or "I don't have any".

Good answer implies, but does not assume that you will stick with the company you are interviewing with, since an interviewer is unlikely to believe that you believe you will be with the company forever. However, the fact that you are willing shows that are you might commit, and the company likes to see people whose short and long term goals have them potentially staying with the company.

I have learned that long-term goals are best achieved when I break them into shorter goals. My short-term goal is to find a position that will put me in a forward-moving company with solid performance and future projections. As part of a team, I want to add value and continue to grow the company. My long-term goal will depend on where the company goes. My plan is to move into a position of responsibility where I can lead a team.

My short term goals are to simply break into the field. As a college graduate, I need to start building a strong presence in the industry, working for a company I respect and doing a job that I enjoy. My long term goals are to earn new responsibilities within the company, ultimately reaching higher positions as they open and helping the company succeed in the long term.

I see myself in a management role, leading my team to new innovations and growth. I have a desire to develop my skills as a manager, I'm sure I will eventually get there.

Your short and long term goals need to be related. For example, you can't claim your short term goal is to work in technology, but your long term goal is to open your own restaurant. Also, your goals should relate to the job. It's a good idea to focus on intangible qualities of work for example, I would like to work somewhere that makes me happy, instead of more tangible goals, I would like to be CEO of your company.

If you are the type of person who prefers an organized way of life, you may find this question a piece of cake to answer. But if you're among the majority of people who let life happen as it comes along, you will probably not have a smooth answer without some forethought.

Think about what you really want. Most successful business people will tell you that a key success factor is the ability to set and achieve goals.

Be employer-centered. The employer is looking for someone to come in and solve problems. Since planning is a key factor in this job, think of examples where your planning has affected the results.

★ Your short and long term goals should be related.

★ Showing that you might commit to the company long term is a plus.

★ Don't suck up.